Dozens arrested for working illegally in Hong Kong

A total of 39 people were arrested on suspicion they were working without permits in a joint operation by police, labor and immigration officials over the past two days.

At 2am on Wednesday, enforcement officers raided in Yau Ma Tei and Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon and arrested four men and eight women aged between 20 and 48 for working illegally, Oriental Daily reported. It said seven of them were from the Philippines, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

In another operation at 5am on Thursday, the officers arrested another 15 men and 12 women, aged between 22 and 78, in Kowloon East for allegedly working without permits. Three men and two women were from Indonesia and Vietnam; one of the men was an asylum-seeker.

Meanwhile, Shatin Magistrates’ Courts jailed four Vietnamese for working illegally on Wednesday, according to a government statement.

On Monday August 14, officers raided a Chinese restaurant in Tuen Mun in the New Territories and a Japanese restaurant in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island and found two female and two male Vietnamese working in the kitchens.

They were all asylum-seekers but two male Vietnamese presented forged Hong Kong Identity cards to the police, while a female illegal worker was suspected of using a false instrument.

The four pleaded guilty in court and each was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment.